Notice of Availability of Record of Decision and Approved Resource Management Plan Amendment for Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation, Northwest Colorado, 10327 [2019-05293]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• Bureau of Land Management

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 54 (Wednesday, March 20, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 10327]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-05293]



[[Page 10327]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[19X LLWO230 L11100000.PN0000 LXSGPL000000]


Notice of Availability of Record of Decision and Approved 
Resource Management Plan Amendment for Greater Sage-Grouse 
Conservation, Northwest Colorado

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability 
of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Approved Resource Management 
Plan (RMP) Amendment for Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation for the 
Northwest Colorado Greater Sage-Grouse Sub-Region. The State Director 
signed the ROD on March 15, 2019, which constitutes the BLM's final 
decision and makes the ROD effective immediately.

ADDRESSES: The ROD is available on the BLM ePlanning project website at 
https://go.usa.gov/xP6Xa. Click the Documents and Reports link to find 
the electronic version of these materials. Hard copies of the ROD are 
also available for public inspection at the Colorado State Office and 
the Grand Junction Field Office.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bridget Clayton, Sage-Grouse 
Coordinator, BLM Colorado, telephone (970) 244-3045; address 2815 H 
Road, Grand Junction, CO 81506; email bclayton@blm.gov. Persons who use 
a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal 
Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to contact Ms. Clayton. The FRS 
is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a message or 
question. You will receive a reply during normal business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM developed the Northwest Colorado 
Greater Sage-Grouse Approved RMP Amendment to enhance cooperation with 
States by improving alignment with State management plans and 
strategies for Greater Sage-Grouse, while continuing to conserve, 
enhance, and restore Greater Sage-Grouse and its habitat.
    The BLM developed the Approved RMP Amendment in collaboration with 
Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, State wildlife managers, and other 
concerned organizations and individuals, largely through the Western 
Governors Association's Sage-Grouse Task Force. Using its discretion 
and authority under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA), 
the BLM amends land use plans that address Greater Sage-Grouse 
management to improve alignment with the State of Colorado plans and 
management strategies, in accordance with the BLM's multiple use and 
sustained yield mission.
    This Approved RMP Amendment is one of six separate plan amendments 
developed and issued in response to the Secretary's Order (SO) 3353 
(Greater Sage-grouse Conservation and Cooperation with Western States) 
and in accordance with SO 3349 (American Energy Independence). The 
amendments refine the previous management plan adopted in 2015 and aim 
to strike a regulatory balance and build greater trust among 
neighboring interests in Western communities.
    The Northwestern Colorado Greater-Sage Grouse Approved RMP 
Amendment specifically allows greater flexibility for the BLM to work 
with the State of Colorado on issues related to fluid minerals 
management and mitigation. The Approved RMP Amendment amends the 
following RMPs for BLM-administered lands in Colorado:
     Colorado River Valley RMP (BLM 2015).
     Grand Junction RMP (BLM 2015).
     Kremmling RMP (BLM 2015).
     Little Snake RMP (BLM 2011).
     White River RMP (BLM 1997) and associated amendments, 
including the White River Oil and Gas Amendment (BLM 2015).
    The planning area is part of the larger Rocky Mountain Region and 
encompasses approximately 15 million acres, including 8.5 million acres 
of public lands managed by five BLM field offices in the 10 northwest 
Colorado counties of Eagle, Garfield, Grand, Jackson, Larimer, Mesa, 
Moffat, Rio Blanco, Routt, and Summit. The planning area encompasses 
National Park Service, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Forest Service, 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, State of Colorado, county, city, and 
private lands. Decisions in this RMP Amendment apply solely to BLM-
administered surface (totaling approximately 1.7 million acres) and 
BLM-administered Federal mineral estate (approximately 2.1 million 
acres) within Greater Sage-Grouse habitat. Surface management decisions 
made in the Approved RMP Amendment apply only to lands administered by 
the BLM in the decision area.
    The BLM prepared an EIS in accordance with the NEPA to analyze the 
direct, indirect, and cumulative environmental impacts associated with 
the proposed action and the alternatives. The ROD approves the Agency 
Preferred Alternative identified in the Final EIS. The BLM issued the 
ROD based on compliance with relevant laws, regulations, policies, and 
plans, including those guiding agency decisions that may have an impact 
on resources and their values, services, and functions.
    On December 10, 2018, the NOA for the Northwestern Colorado Greater 
Sage-Grouse Proposed RMP Amendment/Final EIS (83 FR 63523) was 
published in the Federal Register. The publication of the NOA initiated 
a 30-day protest period for the proposed land-use-planning decision. 
The protest period was later extended an additional seven days to help 
account for technical issues the public encountered when submitting 
protests during the partial Federal government shutdown in January 
2019. NOA publication also initiated a simultaneous 60-day review by 
the Governor of Colorado to identify inconsistencies with State or 
local plans, policies, or programs. At the close of the protest period, 
18 protests had been received. These protests were resolved by the BLM 
Director; individual protest response letters were sent to all 
protesting parties. Protest resolution is contained in the Director's 
Protest Summary Report, which is available online at https://www.blm.gov/programs/planning-and-nepa/public-participation/protest-resolution-reports. The proposed RMP Amendment was not modified as a 
result of the protest resolution. The Colorado Governor's review 
identified minor clarifications to the plan which, if completed, 
resulted in the Governor's office agreeing that the plan is consistent 
with state plans, policies, and programs. Colorado BLM made the 
clarifications, including updating the Governor's 2018 Executive Order 
for Sage-grouse.

    Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6

Jamie Connell,
BLM Colorado State Director.
[FR Doc. 2019-05293 Filed 3-19-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-84-P